Heel-bone support



Aug. 24 1926.

T. J. BUTLER HEEL BONE SUPPORT Filed Dgo. 22. 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet '1 1,597,141. Aug. 24 1926. T, BUTLER HEEL BONE SUPPORT v Filed Dec. 22,- 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet .4

6 Ya WWW 2 Patented Aug. 24, 1926.

THOMAS J. BUTLER, OF COLUMBUS, OHIO.

HEEL-BONE SUPPORT.

Application filed December 22, 1924. Serial No. 757,494.

ency exists is effectively overcome by the ligaments tying the heel portion of the arch to the toe portion thereof, with the result that falling of the arch is prevented. l/Vhen shoes are worn however, which elevate the heel but not the toe of the foot, the heel bone is forced to occupy a position in which it projects rearwardly more nearly on a horizontal line, and in this position, the weight of the body acting downwardly on the front end of the heel bone is not as effectively supported and exertsa trelnendousforce tending to swing this bone in a manner to cause its upper end to'lower and its lower end to move rearwardly. Combining with this force, is the tendency of the front portion of the arch to slide forwardly, down the inclined portion of the shoe sole. These combined forces are so great that the ligaments connecting the heel and toe portions of the arch cannot withstand them', with the result that the ligaments stretch, allowing the ends of the arch to move away from each other, and consequently permitting the crown of the arch to fall.

The average arch support exerts upward pressure on the middle of the arch and the above-mentioned ligaments and in so doing, necessarily exerts a stretching action on such ligaments, tending to aggravate the trouble and possessing no corrective characteristics whatever.

It is the principal object of my inven tion to provide a new form of support which will not only effectively support a foot with a fallen arch, but will do so without placing any strain on the arch holding ligaments tending to further stretch them. Thus, these ligaments, relieved of strain, may contract to their proper lengths, so that the trouble is corrected. l

With the foregoing in view, the invention resides in the novel subject matter hereinafter described and claimed, the dei scription being supplemented by the accompanying drawings.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a specially prepared last upon which the improved support may be formed.

Figure 2 is a perspective view illustrating a thick piece of leather or some equivalent material secured upon the last to have its upper-side shaped by the latter.

Figure 3 is a View similar to Fig. 2 but illustrating the support in a finished condition upon the last.

Figure 4. is a sectional View of a shoe embodying the support, illustrating by the arrow A, the point at which the support exerts pressure on the heel bone or oscalcis.

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the support separate from the shoe.

Figure 6 is a longitudinal sectional view as indicated by line 6-6 of Fig. 5.

Figure 7 is a transverse sectional view on line 7-7 of Fig. 5.

Figure 8 is a transverse section through the heel portions of a pair of the supports, cut substantially on the plane of the line 8-8 of Fig. 5, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 9 is a diagram showing first, the normal position of the foot, and second, the position which it assumes when a rather high heeled shoe is worn, these views being included in order that the defect to be corrected, may be more readily explained.

In the drawingsabove briefly described, both the finished article and one manner of manufacture, are shown, and the article will be first described. The numeral 1 designates a horizontally elongated body which is preferably formed of leather, well be constructed from any other adequate material. This body is adapted for disposition in a shoe, as shown in Fig. 4, and it is of a length to cover the shoe heel and at least a portion of the shank of the sole, said body being transversely concave on its upper surface from its rear end substantially to its frontend. The upper side of the body 1 is also longitudinally concave from itsrear end to a point 2, said point being near but bebind the front extremity of the heel portion of thebody. The concavity behind the point 2, forms a pocket 3 to receive the rear and intermediate portions of the users heel, but immediately in front of said point 2, the upper surface of the body 1 is longitudinally convex, providing a crest 4n) support the front portion of the heel and exert an upward pressureon the front end of the heel although it could side of the bo'dyiis cutaway tolaterally taper'the intermediate and front portions of saidbo'dy to-feather edges, as indicated at 7. Furthermore, thebody is cut away on its lowerside to produce the taper 5 which also extends to a fea ther edge. Theupper side of'the' heel portion of the bodyl, forming the pocket 3, is, preferably shaped asindicated in Fig. '8,.so as to more readily accommodate the shape of 'the heel, iniwhich the aheelbone declines outwardly to some extent,

as; well known.

"In manufacturing "the support, I may make use of a specially prepared last L (Figs. 1,2 and "This last is provided with a heel'surfaceH which 1s convex both longitudi'iially and transversely, and the shank surface S is transversely convex, and preferablyhigher at one side than at the otheryso that the support 'to 'be formed .thereon, will more-"readily'engage the wearers foot. "I apply a' thick piece of" leather or the like to the surfaces Hrand S, this piece of .materialbing preferably soaked with water before its application to the "last.

Then, the edges of thejpiece o fmateria l are 'thefront130113101193 of, the archphas altendency to slide forwardly down the .iincline" tacked down to'ithe'last and "in this condition,'i't is allowed to remain until substantially dry. Thus, the last' imparts the desired shape tothe upper-side of the piece of ima terial, to formtheupper side of the support, hereinbefore "described. At the same timeft he'lower side ofthispiece of material is given a convexformationas indicated ati'CinfFigfQ. The convexity is cut away .attheihel portion to providetheflat surface-3'6, andfrom this'surf'ace, the piece of nuiterial *is ski ve'dfto"forwardly taper it and toilateraljlytaper'it in opposite directions. The "lateraltapersimpartto' the shank, substantially the crescent shape shown more partlcularlyin'Flg, 7, and'the lower side of this'crescent=shaped shank portion is adapted'to 'rest'snugly upon 'a similarly shaped shank portion 8 of anzinner sole 9 which is suitably-securedtin the'shoe. Preferably, a 'nretal reinforcement 10 is secured-"to the uppersurface' ofzthis inner sole 'beforethe'ilatv ter iis secured in the shoe,\ and this reinforcement underlies the crestit of the support, to

,prevent appreciable sagging thereof, al-

though permitting slight downward yieldjug. Obviously, the 'bodyi l may be cemented in place or otherwise secured, and if desired a sock lining mayextend overtheupper surface of the support and the portion of the inner sole 9 in advance thereof.

"By'Teference-to Fig. 9, the practicability of the invention will be more readily understood. l'nthis View, 20 designates the leg bone, 21 hasv referenceto the astragalus, 22 designates the oscalcis or heel bone which forms the rear portion of thelongitudinal arch of the, foot, and 23.:refers to. the bones constituting the frontportion or the .arch. These same numerals are applied to ,4. The left portion of Fig.1'9 .representsjthe human foot in the position. which .natureline tended it to occupy, with the lfrontandrear portions of the arch horizontally aimed ;at their lower ends. v'Vhent-he.footiisfin: this position, the weight of the "body .act'ing downwardly on the 'heelibone. 22,.lha-s practically no tendency to. move'zthe front .end

of this bone downwardly,anditsarear .or lower end rearwardly, and -wl1ati tendency exists, is counteracted by, the .muscles which conlnect; the "front and rear portions of .the arc 1.

arch to a point above the I'front'en'd therer of, as indicated at *the right-.hand portion of Fig. 9, the heelbonej'22 projectsrearwardly more nearly on ahorizontalfline. .Whenfin this position, theweight of-fthefbody acting downwardly on'the -front end. of this lheel bone, is not efiectivelysupportedby. the .lat-' ter and consequently itexerts raflforcewhich tends to swing this'bonein amannerto cause its upper end to'lower and itsllower end to .move rearwardly. At {thei-same time,

of'the shoe sole. "Thus, theheel portion of the arch pulls rear'wardly'on ..the ligado stretch, permitting the "front and rear .ends of the arch to move awayfrom each other and consequently permitting the crown of the arch to fall,causingthevery serious well-known troubles. 'By theuse of my invention, I support "the front end "of the heel bone 22,*as indicated 'bythe arrow 24 inTig.

9. Thus, thejfront end of'thisi bone cannot be depressed under the weight of thefbody and consequently its rear end cannot "be forced realwardly and exert a stretching action on the foot muscles,t'he.resullt being that the arch 'is held in' its proper "shape and the muscles previously stretched are ,given a chance to naturally contr act, sothat the foot trouble is e'fie'c'tively corrected. This correc- As soon as a shoeiswornwith a' heel which elevates the rear end; of: the .foot

tion would not be permitted, if upward pressure were exerted under the middle of the arch, as such upward pressure, I have found, draws the foot ligaments tight between the heel and toe portions of the arch and subjects them to a further stretching action, instead of having any corrective characteristics.

From the foregoing, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, it will be seen that I have produced a distinct advance in the art of correcting foot troubles. As excellent results may be obtained from the method and construction herein described, such method and construction may well be followed. However, within the scope of the invention as claimed, modifications may of course be made.

- I claim:

1. An oscalcis support for disposition in a shoe, said support comprising an elongated body of a length to cover the shoe heel and the shank portion of the sole, said body being transversely concave on its upper surface from its rear end substantially to its front end, being longitudinally concave from itsrear end to a point near but behind the front extremity of its heel portion, and being longitudinally convex in front of said concave portion, providing a crest for disposition under the front end of the oscalcis, said body being forwardly tapered from said crest to prevent exertion of pressure under the middle of the longitudinal arch of the foot, the transverse concavity. of said body extending forwardly beyond said crest.

2. A structure as specified in claim 1; the lower side of said body being flat at its heel portion and being transversely convex from said flat portion to the front end of the body.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto affixed my signature.

THOMAS J. BUTLER. 

